Chapter 34: The Future of the Community

After lunch.

Everyone spontaneously completed the cleanup work: leftover food was put into the refrigerator, trash was thrown out, and dishes were washed clean.

With everything tidied up, some people were clearly still riding the high of the moment, chatting in small groups on the sofas in the hall.

Others chose to return to their rooms to rest.

Although the red wine wasn't particularly strong and no one was drunk, they had just undergone a game today; their spirits had been highly tense and then suddenly relaxed, making fatigue inevitable.

Yang Yuting let out a yawn, feeling a bit tired herself. After greeting Li Renshu and Xu Tong, she left the hall to return to her room for a nap.

"The entire second floor is practically a labyrinth," Yang Yuting couldn't help but complain again.

She had made a similar remark when she first arrived.

The community building didn't look large from the outside, but it held a world of its own within. The second floor, in particular, contained twelve different rooms, each with its entrance cleverly separated, resulting in an extremely complex and winding layout.

Even now, Yang Yuting still found it somewhat difficult to locate her own room.

However, as she approached her door, she suddenly froze.

Wang Yongxin was standing not far away, seemingly waiting for her.

"Sorry to disturb you, but there are a few matters I'd like to discuss with you privately."

Wang Yongxin was quite polite, a politeness that made Yang Yuting feel that even if she refused, he wouldn't pester her excessively.

After a brief consideration, Yang Yuting nodded. "Sure, where should we talk?"

Wang Yongxin pointed to the stairs leading up beside them. "To the third floor. There are many small, private rooms there."

The two followed the stairs to the third floor and entered a secluded small room they happened upon.

Wang Yongxin glanced around to ensure no one was watching, then reached out and locked the door.

This action made Yang Yuting a little nervous, but she didn't panic.

After all, the community rules strictly prohibited any harmful or violent behavior between players.

Yang Yuting felt that Wang Yongxin was a smart man and likely wasn't foolish enough to go that far.

Of course, the rules didn't seem to forbid "soft" control methods like deception or psychological manipulation, but the scenarios for such methods were limited and their success rate wasn't high, so there was no need for excessive worry for the time being.

As expected, Wang Yongxin made no aggressive moves. He simply sat down in a single armchair and explained, "Walls have ears. For safety's sake, it's better to be cautious."

Yang Yuting was curious. "What do you plan to talk about? You're being so cautious."

Wang Yongxin had also drunk quite a bit of red wine during the meal, yet he showed no signs of intoxication; instead, he was remarkably sober.

"I want to talk about the future of this community."

This sentence caught Yang Yuting off guard.

She truly didn't understand why Wang Yongxin would bring up such a topic.

This community... was there even a future to plan for?

By now, most people had barely accepted the fact that they had arrived in this "new world."

All they needed to worry about was how to survive the next game, how to earn as much visa time as possible, and how to live in this place for as long as they could.

Compared to the dangerous corridors, the community felt more like a simple safe zone.

People chatted with one another here, helped each other, reviewed previous games together, and prepared for the next one.

Or occasionally, they could do what they were doing now—share a grand meal to soothe their frayed nerves and support each other to keep going.

Although everyone had made it through this game safely, what about the next one? Or the one after that?

Perhaps this community would soon suffer casualties or encounter other accidents. In such a situation, discussing or planning its future seemed like a meaningless endeavor.

After a moment of thought, Yang Yuting said, "I feel like even if such things need to be considered, it doesn't seem like it's our place to worry about them, does it?"

Wang Yongxin smiled. "From the current situation, it indeed isn't our place to worry. But that is exactly the problem, isn't it?

"Haven't you noticed?

"Today's motion added a new rule to the community, a rule that will directly change the way we live in this community in the future.

"And such an important motion was discussed by five people in a small room.

"The remaining seven of us were, in effect, completely excluded."

His expression turned serious. "This motion can be described as a 'win-win' situation for those involved.

"But what about next time? Or the time after that?

"Suppose a motion were proposed now to redistribute all your remaining visa time equally, or to require you to surrender 70% of the visa time you earn from every game, and this motion received seven votes and passed.

"What would happen then?

"Don't think it's impossible; it is entirely feasible within the rules."

Yang Yuting was stunned. "Are you saying... the tyranny of the majority?

"But... both Fu Chen and Li Renshu seem quite friendly and responsible; they wouldn't propose such an extreme plan.

"And even if they did, it would be hard to get seven votes. People aren't that short-sighted.

"If they can vote to divide up my visa time today, they can vote to divide up someone else's tomorrow. If it continues like this, everyone will live in fear, and mutual trust in the community will cease to exist.

"We are a community of shared interests. As long as we understand this simple logic, we won't slide down that slippery slope."

Wang Yongxin asked meaningfully, "In this 'we' you speak of, am I included?"

Yang Yuting nodded. "Of course."

Wang Yongxin pressed further, "Then are you sure that in other people's 'we,' you are included as well?"

Yang Yuting hesitated. "I suppose so?"

Wang Yongxin smiled and asked again, "Then why weren't you in that small room this morning?"

Yang Yuting was momentarily speechless.

Wang Yongxin stared at her with a calm expression. "You've said so much, but it all boils down to one sentence: placing your hope in the conscience of others.

"But how do you know what the true faces of Fu Chen or Li Renshu are?

"A very simple question: you don't actually think the five people who discussed and reached that motion were chosen at random, do you?"

Yang Yuting fell into deep thought.

"Those five people..."

Fu Chen, Li Renshu, Cai Zhiyuan, Cao Haichuan, Lin Sizhi.

"You mean to say that Fu Chen, Li Renshu, Cai Zhiyuan, and Cao Haichuan were in the same group during the previous games, so they have deeper trust in each other and formed a sort of small clique ahead of time?" Yang Yuting guessed.

Wang Yongxin shook his head slightly. "That is only one aspect, but there are other factors.

"Li Renshu is a civil servant, Cao Haichuan is a police officer, and Lin Sizhi is a lawyer.

"Do you see? Their professions make them natural 'administrators.'

"Furthermore, do you remember when we were first discussing the 'Redemption Roulette' and other games? The frequency of these people speaking was significantly higher than the others.

"This means they not only have better mutual trust, but also professional and ideological alignment. Most importantly, they are all relatively influential people in this community.

"Therefore, any motion that these five people agree upon is highly likely to be implemented.

"The opinions of the remaining seven are actually irrelevant. They will either follow closely behind one of these five, or become marginalized individuals whose votes of dissent mean nothing.

"Today's events have already proven this well.

"These five people are, in fact, the 'power core' of our entire community.

"This power core was formed in just two or three days. Do you think that is a coincidence?"

Yang Yuting frowned slightly and lowered her head in contemplation.

"But your view... is a bit too... too political."

Wang Yongxin smiled. "Is 'politics' a bad word?

"Wherever there are people, there is politics.

"Moreover, we are currently in a very special environment. Twelve people, where everyone can propose a motion and everyone can vote on a motion.

"And the content of these motions is directly related to the personal interests of every single one of us.

"In such an environment, if you do not care about politics, then politics will certainly come to care about you."

(End of Chapter)